Apparatus comprising substrate and conductive layer

ABSTRACT

A nano imprint master and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The method includes: implanting conductive metal ions into a substrate including quartz to form a conductive layer inside the quartz substrate; coating a resist on the quartz substrate in which the conductive layer is formed, to form a resist coating layer; exposing the resist coating layer to an electron beam to form micropatterns; etching the quartz substrate by using the resist coating layer, in which the micropatterns are formed, as a mask; and removing the resist coating layer to obtain a master in which micropatterns are formed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 11/745,609 filed May 8,2007, which claims priority from Korean Patent Application Nos.10-2006-0055538, filed on Jun. 20, 2006 and 10-2006-0125657, filed onDec. 11, 2006, respectively, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office,the disclosures of the prior applications are incorporated herein intheir entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate toa nano imprint master and manufacturing the same, and more particularly,to a method of manufacturing a nano imprint master by which time andcosts required for manufacturing the nano imprint master can be reducedwithout the need for performing a process of removing a metal conductivelayer, and a nano imprint master manufactured using the method.

2. Description of the Related Art

Enormous information is pouring as the modern age is called aninformation-oriented age. Thus, a study for a high dense recordingmedium for recording enormous information has been briskly proceeded.

Methods of patterning micropatterns of a mask or master on a high denserecording medium include a photolithography technology and a nanoimprint lithography technology.

In a photolithography technology, there are problems, such asastronomical costs of equipment, complexity of a device, and difficultyof installation and maintenance, and it is difficult to reproduce inlarge quantities micropatterns equal to or smaller than 50 nm by oneshot. Contrary to this, according to a nano imprint lithographytechnology, micropatterns can be easily and simply formed and recordingmedia can be reproduced in large quantities with low costs. Thus, thenano imprint lithography technology is usually used in generatingmicropatterns of a recording medium.

Micropatterns reproduced by nano imprinting are patterns in whichpatterns of a nano imprint master are transferred without changes. Howto produce the nano imprint master very elaborately and easily is mostimportant in the nano imprint lithography technology.

FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate a related art nano imprint process. Asillustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C, when a nano imprint process is performedusing a nano imprint master 20, firstly, the nano imprint master 20 isdisposed on a substrate 10 as shown in FIG. 1A. Next, when ultraviolet(UV) light is irradiated, a polymer resin formed on the substrate 10 ismolten, and micropatterns of the nano imprint master 20 are transferredas shown in FIG. 1B. Next, if the substrate 10 is ashed after the nanoimprint master 20 is removed from the substrate 10, a recording mediumin which micropatterns are formed on the substrate 10 can be obtained asshown in FIG. 1C.

In this case, transparent quartz or glass is used in forming a mastersubstrate used in nano imprinting. This is because UV light must bedelivered to and transmitted through both a portion in which patterns ofthe nano imprint master are formed and a portion in which the patternsof the nano imprint master are not formed so that the polymer resin canbe cured.

If there is an opaque portion in part of a region of the nano imprintmaster, UV light cannot be transmitted through the opaque portion andpolymer remains in a corresponding portion in a flowing state. If thenano imprint master is separated from the polymer resin in this state,an uncured polymer resin sticks to the nano imprint master and isdetached from a cured polymer resin together with the nano imprintmaster so that the nano imprint process cannot be properly performed.Thus, since the nano imprint master must be maintained overall in atransparent state, a quartz substrate is commonly used in the nanoimprint process.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a related art method of manufacturinga nano imprint master. Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing a nanoimprint master having micropatterns will be described with reference toFIG. 2.

Firstly, a master substrate is prepared in operation S20. Next, chromiumis deposited on a top surface of the master substrate through sputteringin operation S21. Subsequently, an electron beam resist is applied ontothe chromium layer in operation S22, and the electron beam resist ispatterned using an electron beam exposure device in operation S23.

Subsequently, after the chromium layer is dry etched using the resistcoating layer in which micropatterns are formed, as a mask in operationS24, the master substrate is dry etched so that the micropatterns formedin the chromium layer can be transferred to the master substrate inoperation S25.

Last, the resist coating layer is stripped or ashed in operation 526,and the chromium layer is completely removed through wet etching andthen is cleaned in operation S27, thereby obtaining a nano imprintmaster in operation S28.

The chromium metal layer is deposited on the master substrate inoperation S21, so as to remove electric charges occurring when electronbeams are irradiated to the master substrate and the resist formed ofdielectric materials, respectively, in the operation of forming patternsusing electron beams.

That is, if electric charges are generated in the master substrate andthe resist, polarization, in which one surface of the master substrateand an opposed surface thereof have different polarities, occurs. Thispolarization may cause distortion of micropatterns formed in the matersubstrate. In order to prevent polarization, the electric charges aregrounded to the outside along the surface of the chromium metal layerand are removed.

According to the above-described related art method of manufacturing anano imprint master, the chromium metal layer is deposited on the mastersubstrate and then must be etched in a subsequent process and after themaster substrate is patterned, the chromium metal layer must be removed.In this way, the method is complicated so that enormous time and costsare required for manufacturing the nano imprint master.

In addition, since the nano imprint master is formed of hardened quartzor glass, when the surface of a substrate on which patterns areimprinted is curved, contact between the nano imprint master and thesubstrate is nonuniform so that nano imprinting is not uniformlyperformed and damages may occur in the master used in nano imprinting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a nano imprintmaster by which time and costs required for manufacturing the nanoimprint master can be reduced without the need for performing a processof removing a metal conductive layer, and a nano imprint mastermanufactured using the method.

The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing a nanoimprint master by which a polymer layer acting as a buffer layer duringnano imprinting is introduced and nano imprinting can be uniformlyperformed on a large scale, and a nano imprint master manufactured usingthe method.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there are provided amethod of manufacturing a nano imprint master, the method comprising:implanting conductive metal ions into a quartz substrate to form aconductive layer inside the quartz substrate; coating a resist on thequartz substrate in which the conductive layer is formed, to form aresist coating layer; exposing the resist coating layer to an electronbeam to form micropatterns; etching the quartz substrate by using theresist coating layer, in which the micropatterns are formed, as a mask;and removing the resist coating layer to obtain a master in whichmicropatterns are formed, and a nano imprint master manufactured by themethod.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there are provideda method of manufacturing a nano imprint master, the method comprising:epitaxially growing or depositing silicon oxide or silicon nitride on aquartz substrate to form a silicon oxide layer or a silicon nitridelayer; implanting conductive metal ions into the silicon oxide layer orthe silicon nitride layer to form a conductive layer inside the siliconoxide layer or the silicon nitride layer; coating a resist on thesilicon oxide layer or the silicon nitride layer to form a resistcoating layer; exposing the resist coating layer to an electron beam toform micropatterns; etching the quartz substrate in which the siliconoxide layer or the silicon nitride layer is formed, by using the resistcoating layer, in which the micropatterns are formed, as a mask; andremoving the resist coating layer to obtain a master in whichmicropatterns are formed, and a nano imprint master manufactured by themethod.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there are provideda method of manufacturing a nano imprint master, the method comprising:depositing a conductive metal on a quartz substrate to form a conductivelayer; epitaxially growing or depositing silicon oxide or siliconnitride on the conductive layer to form a silicon oxide layer or asilicon nitride layer; coating a resist on the silicon oxide layer orthe silicon nitride layer to form a resist coating layer; exposing theresist coating layer to an electron beam to form micropatterns; andetching the quartz substrate in which the silicon oxide layer or thesilicon nitride layer is formed, by using the resist coating layer inwhich the micropatterns are formed, and a nano imprint mastermanufactured by the method.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there are provideda method of manufacturing a nano imprint master, the method comprising:forming a polymer layer on a substrate; implanting conductive metal ionsinto the polymer layer to form a conductive layer inside the polymerlayer; coating a resist on the polymer layer in which the conductivelayer is formed, to form a resist coating layer; exposing the resistcoating layer to an electron beam to form micropatterns; etching thepolymer layer by using the resist coating layer, in which themicropatterns are formed, as a mask; and removing the resist coatinglayer to obtain a master in which micropatterns are formed on thepolymer layer, and a nano imprint master manufactured by the method.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there are provideda method of manufacturing a nano imprint master, the method comprising:forming a polymer layer on a substrate; forming a silicon oxide layer ora silicon nitride layer on the polymer layer; implanting conductivemetal ions into the silicon oxide layer or the silicon nitride layer toform a conductive layer inside the silicon oxide layer or the siliconnitride layer; coating a resist on the polymer layer in which theconductive layer is formed, to form a resist coating layer; exposing theresist coating layer to an electron beam to form micropatterns; etchingthe silicon oxide layer or the silicon nitride layer by using the resistcoating layer, in which the micropatterns are formed, as a mask; andremoving the resist coating layer to obtain a master in whichmicropatterns are firmed on the polymer layer, and a nano imprint mastermanufactured by the method.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there are provideda method of manufacturing a nano imprint master, the method comprising:forming a polymer layer on a substrate; depositing a conductive metal onthe polymer layer to form a conductive layer; forming a silicon oxidelayer or a silicon oxide layer on the conductive layer; coating a resiston the silicon oxide layer or the silicon nitride layer to form a resistcoating layer; exposing the resist coating layer to an electron beam toform micropatterns; etching the silicon oxide layer or the siliconnitride layer by using the resist coating layer, in which themicropatterns are formed, as a mask; and removing the resist coatinglayer to obtain a master in which micropatterns are formed in thesilicon oxide layer or the silicon nitride layer, and a nano imprintmaster manufactured by the method.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects of the present invention will become moreapparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof withreference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate a related art nano imprint process;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a related art method of manufacturinga nano imprint master;

FIGS. 3A-3F illustrate a method of manufacturing a nano imprint masteraccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate light transmittance when ultraviolet (UV) lightis irradiated onto a quartz substrate according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a graph showing a change of light transmittance according tothe thickness of a conductive layer when the conductive layer is formedinside a nano imprint master according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 6A-6C illustrate a method of manufacturing a quartz substrate usedin manufacturing a nano imprint master according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate a method of manufacturing a quartz substrate usedin manufacturing a nano imprint master according to another exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 8A-8D illustrate methods of manufacturing a quartz substrate usedin manufacturing a nano imprint master according to other exemplaryembodiments of the present invention;

FIGS. 9A-9F illustrate a method of manufacturing a quartz substrate usedin manufacturing a nano imprint master according to another exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 10A-10G illustrate a method of manufacturing a quartz substrateused in manufacturing a nano imprint master according to anotherexemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 11A-11G illustrate a method of manufacturing a quartz substrateused in manufacturing a nano imprint master according to anotherexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will now be described more fully with reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of theinvention are shown.

FIGS. 3A-3F illustrate a method of manufacturing a nano imprint masteraccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Firstly, a quartz substrate 100 is prepared as shown in FIG. 3A.

Conductive metal ions are implanted into a top surface of the quartzsubstrate 100, thereby forming a conductive layer 110 inside the quartzsubstrate 100 as shown in FIG. 3B. In this case, the conductive layer110 may be formed by implanting chromium ions, titanium ions, silverions, gold ions, aluminum ions or platinum ions into the quartzsubstrate 100.

In ion implantation, a material to be doped is ionized and acceleratedto increase a kinetic energy and the ionized material is forciblyinjected into the surface of the quartz substrate 100 so thathigh-purity impurity implantation is possible and the uniformity of adoping concentration can be maintained.

This ion implantation is usefully applied to the case where ions areimplanted to a comparatively shallow depth. When the conductive metalions are implanted into the quartz substrate 100, the conductive layer110 is formed to be close to the surface of the quartz substrate 100, asillustrated in FIG. 3B.

When the conductive layer 110 is formed inside the quartz substrate 100in this way, electric charges that occur during electron beamlithography are grounded and can be effectively removed so thatdistortion of micropatterns due to the occurrence of electric chargescan be prevented.

It is important to reduce the thickness of the conductive layer 110 whenthe conductive layer 110 is formed. This is because, when the thicknessof the conductive layer 110 is very large, UV light transmittance islowered, as described above, so that a polymer resin sticks to the nanoimprint master during a nano imprint process and the nano imprintprocess cannot be successfully performed.

The thickness of the conductive layer 110 at which the nano imprintprocess can be successfully performed will now be described withreference to FIGS. 4A-4C and 5.

FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate light transmittance when UV light is irradiatedonto the quartz substrate 100. When light transmittance of the purequartz substrate 100 is about 96%, as illustrated in FIG. 4A and when athick conductive layer 110 is formed inside the quartz substrate 100, asillustrated in FIG. 4B, light transmittance is rapidly lowered andreflectivity is increased. When a thin conductive layer 110 is formedinside the quartz substrate 100 to a thickness of 65 Å, as illustratedin FIG. 4C, light transmittance is about 90%. The relationship betweenlight transmittance and the thickness of the conductive layer will nowbe described with reference to FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing a change of light transmittance according tothe thickness of a conductive layer when the conductive layer is formedinside a nano imprint master according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

In FIG. 5, the horizontal axis represents the thickness of a chromiumconductive layer and the vertical axis represents light transmittance ofa quartz substrate. UV light having a wavelength of 300 μm was used inthis experiment considering that UV light is generally used in a nanoimprint process.

Referring to FIG. 5, as the thickness of the chromium layer is increasedto 0, 50, 60, and 100, respectively, light transmittance is lowered to96, 93, 91, and 80, respectively.

Here, light transmittance must be maintained to be at least 80% orhigher so that the quartz substrate 100 can be used as the nano imprintmaster. This light transmittance is achieved by forming a conductivelayer to a thickness of less than a skin depth.

The skin depth can be calculated by equation (1) as below and is aneigen value according to metal.

$\begin{matrix}{\delta = {\frac{1}{k} = \sqrt{\frac{2}{\omega \; \mu \; \sigma}}}} & (1)\end{matrix}$

where, k is a propagation constant, ω (=2πf) is an angular frequency, μis magnetic permeability (4π×⁻⁷), and σ is electrical conductivity.Thus, if metal ions to be implanted are specified in a specificfrequency (or wavelength), the skin depth with respect to correspondingmetal is determined, and if metal ions are implanted so that aconductive layer can be formed to a thickness of less than thedetermined skin depth, a nano imprint master having good UV lighttransmittance can be manufactured.

Subsequently, the method of manufacturing a nano imprint master will nowbe described with reference to FIGS. 3A-3F.

After the conductive layer 110 is formed inside the quartz substrate100, the substrate 100 is coated with an electron beam resist, therebyforming a resist layer 120 as shown in FIG. 3C.

Next, after micropatterns are formed in the resist layer 120 using anelectron beam exposure device as shown in FIG. 3D. The quartz substrate100 is etched using the resist 120′, in which the micropatterns areformed, as a mask so that the micropatterns of the resist 120′ aretransferred to the quartz substrate 100 as shown in FIG. 3E. In thiscase, the quartz substrate 100 may be etched by dry etching.

Last, when the resist 120′ in which the micropatterns are formed, isremoved by stripping or ashing, a nano imprint master in whichmicropatterns are formed can be obtained as shown in FIG. 3F.

When the nano imprint master is manufactured using the above-describedmethod, the metal conductive layer 110 is formed inside the quartzsubstrate 100 and does not need to be removed separately. Thus, thenumber of processes of manufacturing a nano imprint master can bereduced and time and costs required for manufacturing the nano imprintmaster can be greatly reduced.

Since it is not easy to implant conductive metal ions into a solidquartz substrate as illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3F, an oxide layer isdeposited or grown on the quartz substrate and then the conductive metalions are implanted into the oxide layer so that the conductive layer canbe formed more easily, which will be described with reference to FIGS.6A-6C and 7A-7C.

FIGS. 6A-6C and FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate methods of manufacturing a quartzsubstrate used in manufacturing a nano imprint master according to otherexemplary embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 6A-6C, after the quartz substrate 200 is prepared asshown in FIG. 6A, silicon oxide (SiO₂) is deposited or epitaxially grownon a top surface of the quartz substrate 200, thereby forming a siliconoxide layer 210 as shown in FIG. 61B, and thereafter, conductive metalions are implanted into the silicon oxide layer 210, thereby forming aconductive layer 220 as shown in FIG. 6C.

Referring to FIGS. 7A-7C, silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) is deposited orepitaxially grown on a quartz substrate 300, thereby forming a siliconnitride layer 310 as shown in FIGS. 7A-7B, and then, conductive metalions are implanted into the silicon nitride layer 310 by ionimplantation, thereby forming a conductive layer 320 as shown in FIG.7C.

The operation of applying a resist and forming micropatterns afterforming the silicon oxide layer 210 or the silicon nitride layer 310 isthe same as that of FIGS. 3A-3F. The thicknesses of the conductivelayers 220 and 320 must also be maintained to be less than a skin depthin consideration of light transmittance. As compared with FIGS. 3A-3F,there is only a difference in that micropatterns are not formed in thequartz substrates 200 and 300 but are formed in oxide layers 210 and 310or in both the oxide layers 210 and 310 and the conductive layers 220and 320.

FIGS. 8A-8D illustrate methods of manufacturing a quartz substrate usedin manufacturing a nano imprint master according to other exemplaryembodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 8A-8D, after the quartz substrate 400 is prepared(FIG. 5A), a conductive metal is deposited on a quartz substrate 400through sputtering, thereby forming a conductive layer 410 (FIG. 8B).Even in this case, the thickness of the conductive layer 410 must beless than a skin depth in consideration of light transmittance.

The conductive layer 410 may be one of a chromium layer, a titaniumlayer, a silver layer, a gold layer, an aluminum layer, and a platinumlayer.

Next, silicon oxide (SiO₂) or silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) may be epitaxiallygrown or deposited on the conductive layer, thereby forming a siliconoxide layer 420 or a silicon nitride layer 430, as respectively shown inFIG. 8C and FIG. 8D.

The operation of applying a resist and forming micropatterns after thesilicon oxide (SiO₂) layer 420 or the silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) layer 430is the same as that of FIGS. 3A-3F. There is only a difference betweenFIGS. 3A-3F and FIGS. 8A-8D in that micropatterns are not formed in thequartz substrate 400 but are formed in the silicon oxide layer 420 orthe silicon nitride layer 430.

In the method of manufacturing a nano imprint master according to theexemplary embodiment of the present invention, the processes of removinga metal conductive layer and cleaning the surface of a quartz substrateafter removing the metal conductive layer can be reduced so that themethod of manufacturing a nano imprint master can be simplified.

FIGS. 9A-9F illustrate a method of manufacturing a quartz substrate usedin manufacturing a nano imprint master according to another exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

Firstly, a master substrate 500 is prepared as shown in FIG. 9A. In thiscase, a material for the master substrate 500 may be quartz.

A polymer layer 505 is formed on a top surface of the master substrate500 as shown in FIG. 9B. In this case, the polymer layer 505 may beformed of high elastic polymer such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) andmay be coated through spin coating or chemical vapor deposition (CVD).Uneven patterns are formed on the polymer layer 505 through a subsequentprocess, and the polymer layer 505 acts as a buffer layer duringimprinting so that nano imprinting can be uniformly performed on a largescale.

Next, conductive metal ions are implanted into the polymer layer 505,thereby forming a conductive layer 510 inside the polymer layer 505 asshown in FIG. 9C. In this case, the conductive layer 510 may be formedby implanting chromium ions, titanium ions, silver ions, gold ions,aluminum ions or platinum ions into the polymer layer 505

In ion implantation, a material to be doped is ionized and acceleratedto increase a kinetic energy and the ionized material is forciblyinjected into the surface of the polymer layer 505 so that high-purityimpurity implantation is possible and the uniformity of a dopingconcentration can be maintained.

This ion implantation is usefully applied to the case where ions areimplanted to a comparatively shallow depth. When the conductive metalions are implanted into the polymer layer 505, the conductive layer 510is formed to be close to the surface of the polymer layer 505, asillustrated in FIG. 9C.

When the conductive layer 510 is formed inside the polymer layer 505 inthis way, electric charges that occur during electron beam lithographyare grounded and can be effectively removed so that distortion ofmicropatterns due to the occurrence of electric charges can beprevented.

It is important to reduce the thickness of the conductive layer 510 whenthe conductive layer 510 is formed. This is because, when the thicknessof the conductive layer 510 is very large, UV light transmittance islowered as described above so that a polymer resin is stuck to the nanoimprint master during a nano imprint process and the nano imprintprocess cannot be successfully performed.

Transmittance of the nano imprint master with respect to UV light mustbe maintained to be at least 80% or higher. This light transmittance isachieved by forming the conductive layer 510 to a thickness of less thana skin depth. The skin depth can be calculated by the above-describedequation (1).

After the conductive layer 510 is formed inside the polymer layer 505,an electron beam resist is coated, thereby forming a resist layer 520 asshown in FIG. 9D.

Next, after micropatterns are formed in the resist layer 520 using anelectron beam exposure device as shown in FIG. 9E, the polymer layer 505is etched using the resist 520′, in which the micropatterns are formed,as a mask so that the micropatterns of the resist 520′ are transferredto the polymer layer 505. In this case, the polymer layer 505 may beetched by dry etching.

Last, when the resist 520′ in which the micropatterns are formed, isremoved by stripping or ashing, a nano imprint master having the polymerlayer 505 in which the micropatterns are formed can be obtained as shownin FIG. 9F. Although not shown, an anti-sticking layer may also beformed on the polymer layer 505 in which the micropatterns are formed.The anti-sticking layer prevents the master (see 20 of FIG. 1A) and theimprinted substrate (see 10 of FIG. 1A) from sticking to each other foreasy separation from each other during a nano imprint process. Theanti-sticking layer may also be formed by depositing Teflon through CVDor by spin coating a self-assembly monolayer (SAM).

When manufacturing the nano imprint master using the above-describedmethod, a uniform nano imprint master can be manufactured on a largescale during nano imprinting by introducing the polymer layer 505 actingas a buffer layer. In addition, the metal conductive layer 510 is formedinside the polymer layer 505 and does not need to be removed separatelyso that the number of processes of manufacturing a nano imprint mastercan be reduced and time and costs required for manufacturing the nanoimprint master can be greatly reduced.

FIGS. 10A-10G illustrate a method of manufacturing a quartz substrateused in manufacturing a nano imprint master according to anotherexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 10A-10G, firstly, a master substrate 600 is preparedas shown in FIG. 10A. A polymer layer 605 is formed on a top surface ofthe substrate 600 as shown in FIG. 10B. Silicon oxide (SiO₂) or siliconnitride (Si₃N₄) is deposited or epitaxially grown on a top surface ofthe polymer layer 605, thereby forming a silicon oxide layer 610 or asilicon nitride layer 615 as shown in FIG. 10C. Subsequently, conductivemetal ions are implanted into the silicon oxide layer 610 by ionimplantation, thereby forming a conductive layer 620 as shown in FIG.10D. The thickness of the conductive layer 620 is maintained to be lessthan a skin depth in consideration of light transmittance.

Subsequent operations are similar to those of FIGS. 9A-9F. There is onlya difference between FIGS. 9A-9F and FIGS. 10A-10G in that micropatternsare not formed in the polymer layer 605 but are formed in the siliconoxide layer 610 or the silicon nitride layer 615. Specifically, a resistlayer 630 is formed by coating an electron beam resist as shown in FIG.10E, micropatterns are formed in the resist layer 630 using an electronbeam exposure device as shown in FIG. 10F, and then, the silicon oxidelayer 610 or the silicon nitride layer 615 is etched using the resist630′, in which the micropatterns are formed, as a mask so that themicropatterns of the resist 630′ are transferred to the silicon oxidelayer 610 or the silicon nitride layer 615. Next, the resist 630′ inwhich micropatterns are formed, is removed by stripping or ashing andthus, a nano imprint master in which the micropatterns are formed can beobtained as shown in FIG. 10G. Although not shown, an anti-stickinglayer may also be formed on the silicon oxide layer 610 or the siliconnitride layer 615.

FIGS. 11A-11G illustrate a method of manufacturing a quartz substrateused in manufacturing a nano imprint master according to anotherexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 11A-11G firstly, a master substrate 700 is preparedas shown in FIG. 11A. A polymer layer 705 is formed on the substrate 700as shown in FIG. 11B. A conductive layer 710 is formed on the polymerlayer 705 by depositing a conductive metal on the polymer layer 705through sputtering as shown in FIG. 11C. Even in this case, thethickness of the conductive layer 710 is maintained to be less than askin depth in consideration of light transmittance.

The conductive metal used in forming the conductive layer 710 may be oneof chromium, titanium, silver, gold, aluminum, and platinum.

Next, silicon oxide (SiO₂) or silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) is epitaxiallygrown or deposited on the conductive layer 710, thereby forming asilicon oxide layer 720 or a silicon nitride layer 725 as shown in FIG.11D.

Subsequent operations are similar to those of FIGS. 9A-9F. There is onlya difference between FIGS. 9A-9F and FIGS. 11A-11G in that micropatternsare not formed in the polymer layer 705 but are formed in the siliconoxide layer 720 or the silicon nitride layer 725. Specifically, a resistlayer 730 is formed by coating an electron beam resist as shown in FIG.11E, micropatterns are formed in the resist layer 730 using an electronbeam exposure device as shown in FIG. 11F, and then, the silicon oxidelayer 720 or the silicon nitride layer 725 is etched using the resist730′, in which the micropatterns are formed, as a mask so that themicropatterns of the resist 730′ are transferred to the silicon oxidelayer 720 or the silicon nitride layer 725. Next, the resist 730′ inwhich micropatterns are formed, is removed by stripping or ashing andthus, a nano imprint master in which the micropatterns are formed can beobtained as shown in FIG. 11G. Although not shown, an anti-stickinglayer may also be formed on the silicon oxide layer 720 or the siliconnitride layer 725.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a processof removing a metal conductive layer does not need to be performed whena nano imprint master is manufactured so that time and costs requiredfor manufacturing the nano imprint master can be greatly reduced.

In addition, a polymer layer acting as a buffer layer during nanoimprinting is introduced so that nano imprinting can be uniformlyperformed on a large scale.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and describedwith reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understoodby those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details maybe made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined by the following claims.

1.-5. (canceled)
 6. An apparatus comprising: a light-transmittingsubstrate; a silicon oxide or silicon nitride layer comprisingmicropatterns, formed on the substrate; and a conductive layer implantedin the silicon oxide or silicon nitride layer.
 7. The apparatus of claim6, wherein the substrate comprises quartz or fused silica.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 6, wherein a light transmittance of the conductivelayer is 80% or greater.
 9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein theconductive layer comprises a chromium layer, a titanium layer, a silverlayer, a gold layer, an aluminum layer, or a platinum layer.
 10. Anapparatus comprising: a light-transmitting substrate; a silicon oxide orsilicon nitride layer comprising micropatterns, formed on the substrate;and a conductive layer formed between the substrate and the siliconoxide or silicon nitride layer.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, whereinthe substrate comprises quartz or fused silica.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 10, wherein a light transmittance of the conductive layer is 80%or greater.
 13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the conductive layercomprises a chromium layer, a titanium layer, a silver layer, a goldlayer, an aluminum layer, or a platinum layer.
 14. An apparatuscomprising: a substrate; a polymer layer comprising micropatterns,formed on the substrate; and a conductive layer implanted in the polymerlayer.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the substrate comprisesquartz or fused silica.
 16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a lighttransmittance of the conductive layer is 80% or greater.
 17. Theapparatus of claim 14, wherein the conductive layer comprises a chromiumlayer, a titanium layer, a silver layer, a gold layer, an aluminumlayer, or a platinum layer.
 18. An apparatus comprising: a substrate; apolymer layer formed on the substrate; a silicon oxide layer or asilicon nitride layer comprising micropatterns, formed on the polymerlayer; and a conductive layer implanted in the silicon oxide or siliconnitride layer.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the substratecomprises quartz or fused silica.
 20. The apparatus of claim 18, whereina light transmittance of the conductive layer is 80% or greater.
 21. Theapparatus of claim 18, wherein the conductive layer comprises a chromiumlayer, a titanium layer, a silver layer, a gold layer, an aluminumlayer, or a platinum layer.
 22. An apparatus comprising: a substrate; apolymer layer formed on the substrate; a conductive layer formed on thepolymer layer, wherein the conductive layer transmits light; and asilicon oxide layer or a silicon nitride layer comprising micropatterns,formed on the conductive layer.
 23. The apparatus of claim 22, whereinthe substrate comprises quartz or fused silica.
 24. The apparatus ofclaim 22, wherein a light transmittance of the conductive layer is 80%or greater.
 25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the conductive layercomprises a chromium layer, a titanium layer, a silver layer, a goldlayer, an aluminum layer, or a platinum layer.